Women's Basketball Hands CCSU 63-57 Defeat

Jan 24, 2009

NEW
BRITAIN, Conn.  Mandy Pennewell (West Chester, Pa.) scored a
season-high 24 points as the Quinnipiac University women's
basketball team held off a second-half comeback by Central
Connecticut for a 63-57 victory Saturday afternoon at Detrick
Gymnasium. The win improves the Bobcats' mark in Northeast
Conference play to 6-2 and 12-5 overall, while the loss drops the
Blue Devils' conference record to 6-2 and 11-7 overall. The win
also marked the 16th consecutive win for the Bobcats against CCSU.

"We
knew this weekend was going to be big for us chasing these two
teams," said Head Coach Tricia Fabbri. "Mandy played great and we
need her to play well for this team to win games like this one
today."

Quinnipiac
came out shooting 7-of-18 midway through the first half, building
the lead to as many as 17 points. The Bobcats' defense limited the
Blue Devils' opportunities, holding the CCSU scoreless for an 8:52
stretch between the team's first and second baskets of the
game.

Pennewell's
13 first-half points led all players as the Bobcats took a 12-point
lead into halftime, 33-21. She had three first-half three-point
field goals, while fellow senior guard Brianna Rooney (Guilford,
Conn.) connected on the Bobcats' other three-pointer in the first
half. Rooney also added five assists in the opening 20 minutes of
play, matching her output from the Bobcats' win at St. Francis
(N.Y.) on Monday.

The
Blue Devils cut the Quinnipiac lead to four with 13:53 remaining in
the second half. After Erin Kerner's (Erie, Pa.) first basket of
the game built the lead to 41-27, CCSU went on a 14-3 run over the
next 5:36 of play.

With
the Blue Devils trailing by three for much of the final ten minutes
of the second half, Kerner's three-pointer with 2:40 showing on the
clock gave the Bobcats a six-point lead, 55-49. After holding
defensively on the next possession, Kerner found Jacinda Dunbar
(Edison, N.J.) in the paint between three defenders. The freshman
forward ball-faked before moving around the Blue Devils' defense
for a lay-up off glass and an eight-point lead.

After
being held to just two points through the first 34 minutes of play,
Kerner finished with 11 points, while adding four assists. Rooney
matched her season high with six assists and added five points and
a game-high three steals.

Pennewell's
24 points were three more than her previous season high set in the
team's second game of the season at Brown on Nov. 16. The senior
guard finished 6-of-10 from behind the arc, setting a new season
high in three-point field goals.

The
Bobcats return to action Monday, Jan 26 against the Pioneers of
Sacred Heart. The teams are set to tip-off at the TD Banknorth
Sports Center at 7 p.m.